Criteria for extension of stay as single parent of Thai child

[Craig2024]

I am currently on an extension of stay for retirement.  My base visa is a Non Immigrant OA.  I am also a father and single parent of an 11-year old Thai child. His mother died about 9 years ago.  At the time, we were legally married under Thai law.  My name is listed as the father on his birth certificate.  I am currently legally married to a Thai citizen who is not my child's natural mother.  I was planning to go Savannakhet in the very near future and switch my visa to a single-entry Non Immigrant O based on visiting my wife.  Then sometime around 60 days, apply for an extension of stay based upon supporting my wife.  However, I would really prefer to base my extension of stay on support of my son.  It's a trust issue with me.  I will appreciate any constructive comments and advice whether this is possible with Thai Immigration.  

[BritManToo]

Dead easy at Suvannakhet or Saigon Thai consulates.

Just need copy of his birth certificate, house book (ID card if he has one) and your passport.

$80 for a single in Vietnam.

I mainly use Vietnam because there are direct flights from Chiang Mai, and as a Brit I don't need to buy a Viet VISA. 

 

Read the 'family member' section half way down

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/2886/46902-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O"---Accompanying-Th.html

 

Can't help you with the extensions, I avoid Thai Immigration.

Edited January 12, 2020 by BritManToo

[ubonjoe]

The only problem you might is immigration insisting you apply based upon marriage to a Thai.

If your child's birth certificate shows you were married when she was born that should be enough proof that you are the legally their father but the they could ask for your marriage certificate for that marriage and possibley her death certificate.

You will need 400k baht in the bank or proof of 40k baht income to apply for the extension.

[ajarnmarc]

Thank you for this information, very interesting.

For these two Suvannakhet or Saigon Thai consulates, 

do you apply for a one year multi? 

You stated that you don't know about Thai Immigration, for you avoid dealing with them, 

so therefore have you been successful in reapplying annually for you actual visa from these two consulates? I ask about this because Penang had issues with me reapplying for the 90 day visa for a non O based on Thai child, which was disappointing for I enjoyed traveling out of the country every 90 days for a few days while I obtained the visa, instead of going for the border hop scenario, but Penang wasn't having it, stating I needed to visit the local immigration once I obtained my last 90 day visa from that consulate.

With Suvannakhet or Saigon Thai consulates, is there any financial supported documents required?

[Foghorn]

I would extend on basis of supporting Thai child , have to take child with you ,don’t tell them you are married again , don’t take this the wrong way but your child will always be your child and your wife can’t use visa against you 

[ajarnmarc]

3 minutes ago, Foghorn said:

I would extend on basis of supporting Thai child , have to take child with you ,don’t tell them you are married again , don’t take this the wrong way but your child will always be your child and your wife can’t use visa against you 

That's great advice, for my missus has done this to many multiple times, and I hadn't even done anything, she just wanted to see a reaction out of me. Thai ladies told me back in 2000 that they not like Thai man for they like to have many ladies, but for the most part that was a lie, Thai men don't think about sex the same as foreign men might. What Thai ladies don't like, is they can not control the Thai man as easily as they can a foreign man, and this control comes when all else fail them, in the form of immigration. So sad really, for I would never think to control a lady with the powers of my countries immigration agency. I don't even think my lady is in my life to control her, so on the surface it's sad, but from my 14 year relationship, my ex showed me several times that she always wanted the upper hand in my life, and she would do whatever it took to try to get it. 

My lady worked at the same hotel I managed at the time, so I thought I was meeting a Thai lady that was completely wholesome, and hard working, but I soon found out, lady from Chiang Mai is all for themselves and none for their man.

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, ajarnmarc said:

Thank you for this information, very interesting.

For these two Suvannakhet or Saigon Thai consulates, 

do you apply for a one year multi? 

You stated that you don't know about Thai Immigration, for you avoid dealing with them, 

so therefore have you been successful in reapplying annually for you actual visa from these two consulates? I ask about this because Penang had issues with me reapplying for the 90 day visa for a non O based on Thai child, which was disappointing for I enjoyed traveling out of the country every 90 days for a few days while I obtained the visa, instead of going for the border hop scenario, but Penang wasn't having it, stating I needed to visit the local immigration once I obtained my last 90 day visa from that consulate.

With Suvannakhet or Saigon Thai consulates, is there any financial supported documents required?

I do 90 days Non-Os (back to back) to 'look after my son', Saigon and Suvannakhet don't want any financials, just $80 for the VISA.

Only 4 bits of paper, copy of his house book, his birth cert, my passport, completed application form (+2 photos).

 

I used to always go to Suvannakhet but the journey from Chiang Mai was tedious, and the Laos Visa expensive, so the past year I've been flying direct to Saigon (free VISA waiver for a Brit), I usually stay for a week as the night life is pretty good. The only downside is my passport fills fairly quickly.

 

If you want Multi, you've got to get marriage, no financials just $200 for the VISA.

Only 6 bits of paper, signed copies of her house book, ID card, marriage cert, your passport, letter of invitation from her in Thai, completed application form (+2 photos)

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by BritManToo

[ajarnmarc]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I do 90 days Non-Os (back to back) to 'look after my son', Saigon and Suvannakhet don't want any financials, just $80 for the VISA.

Only 4 bits of paper, copy of his house book, his birth cert, my passport, completed application form (+2 photos).

 

I used to always go to Suvannakhet but the journey from Chiang Mai was tedious, and the Laos Visa expensive, so the past year I've been flying direct to Saigon (free VISA waiver for a Brit), I usually stay for a week as the night life is pretty good.

 

The only downside is my passport fills fairly quickly.

True on the passport pages passing through quickly, but well worth seeing outside of the norm. Thank you for the follow up, I think it's the best route to take, since even if an applicant gets the multi one year, they still need to leave every 90 days, so it's best to just make the visa over the hop, and relax during the process. Makes the needless of it all; in and out every 90 days, not seem so depressing.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, ajarnmarc said:

True on the passport pages passing through quickly, but well worth seeing outside of the norm. Thank you for the follow up, I think it's the best route to take, since even if an applicant gets the multi one year, they still need to leave every 90 days, so it's best to just make the visa over the hop, and relax during the process. Makes the needless of it all; in and out every 90 days, not seem so depressing.

And at Saigon consulate, almost no queuing, only about 20 applicants a day, if you arrive outside the door opening 30 minutes, you probably won't see any other customers. I get the bus from the airport to the centre of town ($1 or 20kvnd), then stay at an AirBnb within 1Km of the town centre and the consulate ($15/night).